7-Eleven Revealed One Strange New Freebie That Will Have Even More Americans Lining Up This “Slurpee Day”

July 11 is always a big day at ‘Slurpeeland.’

But this “Slurpee Day,” Americans are getting their hands on something they’ve never seen before.

And 7-Eleven Revealed One Strange New Freebie That Will Have Even More Americans Lining Up This “Slurpee Day.”

7-Eleven is turning tongues into billboards with brand-new "Tongue-toos"

Today marks a special day for millions of Americans who can’t get enough of that sugary frozen treat.

July 11 is 7-Eleven Day, and the convenience store chain is celebrating its 98th birthday by giving away free small Slurpees to customers across the country.

But this year’s celebration includes something that’s never been done before in the history of frozen drinks.

7-Eleven is launching "Tongue-toos" – temporary tongue tattoos that activate when you drink a Slurpee.

These aren’t your typical temporary tattoos that go on your arm or face.

You literally apply these tattoos directly to your tongue, sip your Slurpee, and wait for the design to appear.

The tattoo features 7-Eleven’s signature "S" logo in four different colors: blue, green, red, and purple.

"Simply enjoy a Slurpee drink, apply the tattoo on the tongue, and wait for the big reveal," 7-Eleven announced in a press release.¹

The concept plays off the fact that Slurpees naturally stain your tongue different colors depending on the flavor you choose.

It’s basically celebrating that colorful badge of honor every Slurpee fan knows all too well – the tell-tale stained tongue that screams "I just crushed a Slurpee."

Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Marissa Jarratt said the company wanted to create something unique for this year’s celebration.

"This Slurpee Day, we’re mixing things up with new flavors," Jarratt explained, noting that 7-Eleven wanted to create lasting memories for customers.²

The numbers behind America’s Slurpee obsession are staggering

The tongue tattoos might be new, but America’s love affair with Slurpees is nothing new.

The frozen drink has been a cultural phenomenon since 7-Eleven first introduced it back in 1966.

The numbers tell the incredible story of just how massive this frozen drink empire has become.

More than 11.6 million Slurpee drinks are consumed around the world every single day.³

That’s right – every day, not just on Free Slurpee Day.

Since the drink’s creation nearly 60 years ago, 7-Eleven has sold more than 7 billion Slurpees worldwide.⁴

To put that in perspective, that’s nearly one Slurpee for every person on Earth.

In America alone, 7-Eleven customers consume about 14 million Slurpees per month.⁵

That breaks down to roughly 470,000 Slurpees sold every single day in the United States.⁶

The peak season for Slurpees shouldn’t surprise anyone – 40% of all Slurpee sales happen during the summer months of June, July, and August.⁷

Free Slurpee Day falls right in the heart of that peak season, which explains why 7-Eleven goes all out for the promotion.

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Free Slurpee Day has become a marketing masterpiece

What started as a simple birthday celebration in 2002 has turned into one of the most successful annual marketing campaigns in retail history.

When 7-Eleven first launched Free Slurpee Day to celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary, they had no idea they were creating what would become a national holiday.

The promotion was so successful that 7-Eleven decided to repeat it the following year, and it’s been an annual tradition ever since.

The impact on 7-Eleven’s business is impossible to ignore.

Store traffic at 7-Eleven locations across the United States increases by 43% during the week leading up to July 11.⁸

That’s not just people stopping by for their free Slurpee and leaving empty-handed.

The company gives away millions of dollars worth of free product on July 11, but customers typically buy other items while they’re in the store.

It’s a classic loss-leader strategy that drives massive foot traffic and introduces new customers to the 7-Eleven experience.

The promotion has earned 7-Eleven millions of dollars in free publicity as media outlets cover the annual event.

This year’s celebration goes way beyond just free Slurpees

The tongue tattoos are just one part of 7-Eleven’s biggest birthday bash yet.

Loyalty program members who scan their 7Rewards or Speedy Rewards app while getting their free Slurpee will receive a coupon for a second free small Slurpee.

That bonus Slurpee coupon can be redeemed anytime before July 31, extending the celebration for the entire month.

7-Eleven is also bringing back the fan-favorite Mountain Dew Infinite Swirl flavor for the first time in Big Gulp and Slurpee varieties.

The vibrant blue pineapple-berry blend was such a hit that customers have been demanding its return.

For those who can’t make it to a physical store, 7-Eleven is offering $7.11 off any purchase of $20 or more through the 7NOW delivery app using the promo code 711DAY.

The convenience store chain is even giving customers a chance to win $5,000 daily through their mobile apps.

All you have to do is be a rewards member, scan your app on Slurpee Day, and play an in-app game for your shot at the cash prize.

The tongue tattoos will be available at select 7-Eleven and Speedway locations in major cities including Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Dallas-Fort Worth, Orlando, Denver, Chicago, and Philadelphia.⁹

A frozen drink empire built on a broken soda fountain

Like many great inventions, the Slurpee was born from a happy accident.

In the late 1950s, a Dairy Queen franchise owner named Omar Knedlik had a soda fountain that kept breaking down at his restaurant in Coffeyville, Kansas.

To keep his sodas cold, he started putting them in the freezer.

Customers who got the partially frozen sodas loved the slushy texture and started requesting them specifically.

Knedlik realized he was onto something big and built a machine using parts from an automobile air conditioning unit to create the first frozen beverage machine.

He called his invention the "ICEE" and it became wildly popular.

7-Eleven executives spotted the potential and made a licensing deal with Knedlik in 1965.

But they wanted their own name for the product – something that would be exclusive to 7-Eleven stores.

An advertising executive came up with "Slurpee" after listening to the sound people made when drinking the frozen beverage.

By the spring of 1967, every 7-Eleven store in the country had a Slurpee machine.

The company went wild with creative flavor names like Pink Fink, Moonshine, Sticky Icky, Gully Washer, and Adults Only, according to wikipedia.

Seven decades later, 7-Eleven now operates more than 13,000 stores in the United States and Canada, with over 85,000 locations in 19 countries worldwide.¹⁰

The Slurpee remains 7-Eleven’s most iconic product and the tongue tattoos represent the latest chapter in this frozen drink success story.

Americans love their freebies, and 7-Eleven has mastered the art of giving customers something they can’t get anywhere else.

¹ 7-Eleven, "Slurpee Day Just Got Cooler: 7-Eleven, Inc. Celebrates with a Tongue-Too Takeover," July 1, 2025.

² Marissa Jarratt, "Slurpee Day Just Got Cooler: 7-Eleven, Inc. Celebrates with a Tongue-Too Takeover," 7-Eleven Press Release, July 1, 2025.

³ Wikipedia, "Slurpee," accessed July 10, 2025.

⁴ National Today, "FREE SLURPEE DAY – July 11, 2025," November 9, 2023.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ The Marketing Millennials, "The Marketing Genius of 7/11 Free Slurpee Day," February 26, 2024.

⁹ 7-Eleven, "Slurpee Day Just Got Cooler: 7-Eleven, Inc. Celebrates with a Tongue-Too Takeover," July 1, 2025.

¹⁰ Ibid.